The Karmapa oppressed by Dalai Lama loyalists

by Michaela Smith

The opinion piece below was sent to dorjeshugden.com for publication. We accept submissions from the public, please send in your articles to [email protected].

In an interesting turn of events, an explosive open letter to the Dalai Lama has recently come to light. Written by Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche, who served as the General Secretary to H.H. the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje in 2011, the letter addresses various points of harassment, intimidation and discrimination attributed to supporters of H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama, which show remarkable similarities to the problems faced by Dorje Shugden practitioners today.

The letter describes the series of persecutions faced by Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje and his supporters, culminating in attempted sabotage of the visit of Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje to Taiwan and Ladakh by a group of people presenting themselves as supporters of the 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje and the Dalai Lama respectively. The letter also questions why no action has been taken on the part of the Dalai Lama to quash claims that they were acting on his instructions and to intervene in the persecution against supporters of Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje, and appeals to the Dalai Lama’s moral responsibility as the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people to intervene and control his followers.

Clearly, the suppression of religious freedom and human rights by the Dalai Lama and his followers is not only directed at Dorje Shugden practitioners, but has extended to other sects of Tibetan Buddhism, in this instance the Karma Kagyus. In fact, such aggression on the part of the Dalai Lama’s followers is squarely directed at anyone who is seen as opposing the advice, opinions and edicts of the Dalai Lama.

Dorje Shugden practitioners do not wish to intervene or take sides in the Karmapa’s controversy. However, we could not help but notice the similarities between what supporters of Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje and Dorje Shugden practitioners have to endure.

This article aims to highlight the on-going sufferings caused by the Dalai Lama’s decisions and proclamations and show conclusively how any opposition to the Dalai Lama’s decisions is met with scare-tactics, violence and persecution by the Dalai Lama’s followers in order to coerce others to submit and conform to the Dalai Lama’s wishes.

Highlights of the letter titled “Questions and a request to His Holiness the Dalai Lama”

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The nature and publication of the letter

Firstly, Lodreu Rinpoche wrote this letter titled, “Questions and a request to His Holiness the Dalai Lama” without a formal letterhead. This implies that he is writing this letter in his personal capacity and is taking full responsibility for the letter’s content.

Lodreu Rinpoche also published this letter on his personal Facebook page for public consumption, which indicates that he is not afraid of the repercussions that might follow from confronting the Dalai Lama openly.

Note: The fact that Lodreu Rinpoche supports Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje instead of the Dalai Lama’s choice of Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, can be seen as defying the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama has many die-hard followers who will not hesitate to employ violent means whenever they see the Dalai Lama’s instructions not being obeyed or the Dalai Lama being publicly confronted or humiliated. For this reason, Lodreu Rinpoche is very courageous for questioning and confronting the Dalai Lama openly.

Sabotaging events conducted by those who are seen as defying the Dalai Lama

On the occasion of the recent coming of the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje in Taiwan, at the invitation of the Taiwanese government Mongolian and Tibetan Cultural Centre, a number of persons presenting themselves as supporters of H.H. Ogyen Trinley used all available means to prevent this event from happening. Consequently, a substantial number of people started asking themselves questions, wondering why such actions were perpetrated.

The same situation had happened during the summer of 2015 in Ladakh, when the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje was invited by Chime Rinpoche to inaugurate the Karma Dupgyud Choeling Monastery. At the time, people presenting themselves as disciples of the Dalai Lama used every possible means to prevent the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje to come to Ladakh, saying they were acting according to the Dalai Lama’s instructions.

Note: This is not the first time that supporters of Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje attempted to stop Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje from entering Taiwan. In 1999, they also tried various methods to stop Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje from getting a Taiwanese visa but were unsuccesful.

It is interesting to note the unethical methods employed to curb the growing influence of those seen to oppose the Dalai Lama. Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje is not the only Lama to have had his travel plans affected.

In a very similar situation, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and the Dalai Lama’s followers sabotaged the scheduled visit of H.E. Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche to India, where he was scheduled to give a series of teachings and initiations at Serpom Monastery in 2015. A powerful and influential Dorje Shugden lama, Yongyal Rinpoche was in possession of a valid Indian travel visa. Yet, when he arrived at Kempegowda International Airport in Bangalore, it was discovered that Yongyal Rinpoche’s 10-year visa to enter India was canceled without obvious reason. It is strongly believed that the CTA engineered the cancellation of Yongyal Rinpoche’s visa, and his subsequent detainment and deportation.

Similarly, when H.H. Kyabje Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche was scheduled to travel to Mongolia in September 2014 to give a series of initiations including that of Dorje Shugden, the CTA attempted to intervene with the Mongolian authorities to prevent this event from happening. Fortunately, they were unsuccessful and Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche went on to give the Dorje Shugden empowerment to an assembly of over 700.

Such attempts by the Dalai Lama’s followers to sabotage the events conducted by those seen as opposing the Dalai Lama are squarely aimed at curbing their influence. Other Dorje Shugden lamas’ travel plans have been affected due to the CTA’s refusal to issue the necessary travel papers or cancellation of their visas.

Dividing and conquering the Tibetan community

H.H. Ogyen Trinley alleged supporters argued that Trinley Thaye Dorje was not the real Karmapa, but that the only real Karmapa was Ogyen Trinley, who had been – according to them – “recognized” by the Dalai Lama, who expressed this in writing. But it is widely known that this pseudo-recognition of Orgyen Trinley was based on a false testament recognition letter, attributed to the 16th Karmapa by Djamgeun Tai Situ Rinpoche. The forgery was confirmed by the declarations of Tai Situ Rinpoche’s very close collaborator and supporter from the beginning of this affair: Ugyen Tobgay Rinpoche. His testimony was recorded and is available on youtube (“Ugyen Tobgay talk about Karmapa’s fake prediction letter by Situ Rinpoche”, translated into English by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche).

Your Holiness, you know that the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje was officially recognized by Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche, in accordance with the century old Kagyu tradition. This was accepted by all the members of the Karmapa Charitable Trust – founded by the 16th Karmapa – and by the members of Karmapa’s administration and monastic community.

Note: Traditionally, each Karmapa leaves indications of his next rebirth in the form of a letter, which is the basis of Tai Situ Rinpoche’s claim for his chosen Karmapa candidate, Ogyen Trinley Dorje. Tai Situ Rinpoche has denied all requests for the letter to be examined by independent experts on the basis that it would be a violation of a sacred object.

The responsibility of recognizing and enthroning the next Karmapa after the passing of the current Karmapa traditionally belongs to the Sharmapa, the second highest ranking lama in the Karma Kagyu tradition. The Dalai Lama, a monk of the Gelugpa tradition, should not interfere in the recognition of lamas from other lineages such as the Karma Kagyu, let alone be involved in the selection of its head.

The Dalai Lama’s break with tradition and his involvement in recognizing a different Karmapa from the one selected by the Sharmapa, Trinley Thaye Dorje, has instead caused a severe split amongst Karma Kagyu followers. Furthermore, according to Lodreu Rinpoche, the basis for Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje’s alleged supporters arguing that he is the real Karmapa is BECAUSE he was “recognized” by the Dalai Lama. Clearly, the Dalai Lama is the source of the division in the Karma Kagyu lineage.

The Dalai Lama’s frequent appearance with his chosen Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, is an indirect endorsement of his support. The Dalai Lama has also been recorded saying that lamas like H.H. Ling Chocktrul Rinpoche and H.H. Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje will be the future of Tibetan Buddhism after his passing.

The Karmapa controversy is not the only example of the Dalai Lama intentionally creating opposing factions amongst Tibetan Buddhist groups through tulku recognition in order to lessen their influence and support, a fact unknown to many. The Dalai Lama has also caused deep divisions in the Gelugpa tradition as a result of his involvement in the recognition of the reincarnations of H.E. Domo Geshe Rinpoche and H.E. Kundeling Rinpoche, two renowned Dorje Shugden Lamas.

After the passing of H.E. Domo Geshe Rinpoche, his reincarnation was found and recognized by H.H. Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche. This recognition was supported by all monasteries of Domo Geshe Rinpoche except for Tharpa Choeling Monastery. Instead, Tharpa Choeling Monastery insisted that they had found the true incarnation of Domo Geshe Rinpoche. To give credibility to their candidate, Tharpa Choeling approached the Dalai Lama and swore to give up the practice of Dorje Shugden. As a result, the Dalai Lama accepted and recognized Tharpa Choeling’s candidate, thus resulting in two Domo Geshe Rinpoches today, similar to what happened in the Karmapa controversy.

H.E. the 13th Kundeling Rinpoche, who was recognized by H.H. Ling Rinpoche, was stripped of his recognition by the Dalai Lama

Yet another similar situation occurred in the case of Kundeling Rinpoche. The existing incarnation of the 13th Kundeling Rinpoche, born in 1959, was unofficially recognized by H.H. Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, the Dalai Lama’s senior tutor, H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche and H.E. Gangchen Rinpoche. Suddenly in 1995, after 30 objection-less years, the Dalai Lama recognized a young boy, Tenzin Chokyi Gyaltsen as the 13th Kundeling Rinpoche.

In all three instances above, the result was a division in the lamas’ wealth and resources, and a weakening of their support and influence. With not one or two but three examples of the Dalai Lama’s “divide and conquer” strategy through tulku recognition, should we sit idly by or speak out as Lodrue Rinpoche has done?

The Dalai Lama also created a huge split in the Gelupa tradition when he declared Dorje Shugden, an established enlightened Dharma Protector, to be a demon and implemented a ban against his practice. As a result of this ban, many Tibetans were forced to identify themselves as non-Dorje Shugden practitioners to avoid the discrimination, coercion and intimidation that was being forced upon Dorje Shugden practitioners who refused to give up their practice. Most recently in January 2016, the administrators of Sera Jey Monastery issued an identity badge to distinguish between monks who are not practicing Dorje Shugden from those who are.

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Tarring the names of the Dalai Lama’s perceived enemies

Specifically, [the Dalai Lama’s supporters] argued that people should not listen to the Karmapa, because he is worshipping the Dorje Shugden protector and that he would mislead them. At that point, the Ladakhi people really started to wonder what was going on.

It is interesting to note that the Dalai Lama’s followers have so far refrained from attacking or defaming Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje directly. If they did, the Dalai Lama would be seen as attacking another Tibetan Buddhist sect, the Kagyus, which could potentially backfire. Back in the 17th century, the 5th Dalai Lama had, with the backing of the Mongol army, forcibly converted monasteries of other lineages, especially Kagyu and Jonang, into Gelug monasteries. Such incidents are played down by the current Tibetan administration as the Dalai Lama requires the support of all Tibetan Buddhist traditions to secure his position as the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism.

Thus, the Dalai Lama’s followers resorted to blackening Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje’s name with accusations that would garner support from the majority of the Tibetan public. They accused him of practicing Dorje Shugden, which is also against the Dalai Lama’s instructions. This accusation is laughable and almost ridiculous because there is no evidence that Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje engages in the practice of Dorje Shugden.

Furthermore, the Dalai Lama’s supporters argued during their meeting with the International Shugden Community (ISC) on July 7th 2015 that the reason the Dalai Lama issued statements against worshipping Dorje Shugden is because the practice is sectarian in nature.

“One of the principal reasons why His Holiness advises against this practice is because of the well-documented sectarianism associated with it.”

If Dorje Shugden’s practice is indeed sectarian as they claimed, then why accuse the head of another sect of practicing Dorje Shugden? Isn’t it the same as refuting their own claim that Dorje Shugden’s practice is sectarian? One can only conclude that the Dalai Lama’s supporters are just trying to find a way to attack Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje without appearing sectarian.

Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje’s only “mistake” is that he is not the Dalai Lama’s choice of Karmapa. By saying that he is practicing Dorje Shugden, the Dalai Lama’s followers are trying to blacken Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje’s name and associate him with the deity that they claim is a demon, thus reducing his support.

This is not the only time the Dalai Lama’s followers are making baseless accusations without proof. The CTA have also repeatedly accused Dorje Shugden Lamas and practitioners of being paid by the Chinese government. Tibetans are encouraged to call Dorje Shugden practitioners “Chinese dogs” and “Chinese spies”. Of course, by associating Dorje Shugden practitioners with Tibet’s hated enemy, China, the Tibetan leadership hopes to erode the support that Dorje Shugden practitioners are receiving.

And the Dalai Lama and CTA’s exploits are not limited to matters that are religious and monastic in nature but also politics. When the Tibetan people initially entered into exile in 1959, it was the common goal of all Tibetans including the Dalai Lama to strive for Tibetan Independence or Rangzen. To not support Rangzen was deemed unpatriotic.

But after the Dalai Lama unilaterally gave away the pursuit of Rangzen in Strasbourg in 1988, without consulting the Tibetan people, and chose instead a compromise he coined ‘the Middle Way’ or Umaylam, suddenly what was previously regarded as patriotic suddenly became a traitorous ambition, just because the Dalai Lama changed his mind and now wanted to coerce the entire Tibetan nation under his will. Those who continued to aspire for independence, not to defy the Dalai Lama but to insist on what they had been promised, were labeled Chinese spies and enemies of the people.

Acknowledgement of a ban on Dorje Shugden!

Dorje Shugden is strictly a Gelugpa internal issue, which originated in divisions between two monastic administrations. Initially, Dorje Shugden was an important lama in one of these administrations, but he was later eliminated. Then his spirit became a protector worshiped by numerous Gelugpa practitioners, including the Dalai Lama. But then the Dalai Lama changed his mind, considered him an enemy and banned him. Now, some Gelugpa consider him a protector worshipped as a god, and others an enemy and a devil. But we – the Nyingma and the Kagyus belonging to one of the four big or the eight small lineages – have not been involved, are not involved and will not be involved in this purely Gelugpa issue. We don’t have the smallest link to this situation. Be calm and go in peace.

H.E. Choje Todgen Rinpoche

Contrary to what the Dalai Lama and his administration are claiming, H.E. Choje Todgen Rinpoche, the highest Ladakhi Rinpoche, clearly confirms that there is indeed a ban on Dorje Shugden’s practice initiated by none other than the Dalai Lama himself. This therefore calls out the Dalai Lama on his lies and deception that he is only giving advice and “it is up to individuals to choose whether or not to follow his counsel.”

If a high lama of the Kagyu tradition can recognize that there is a ban on Dorje Shugden’s practice, it confirms what Dorje Shugden practitioners have been saying for years, that the Dalai Lama has banned Dorje Shugden’s practice and as a result, millions of Dorje Shugden practitioners worldwide are suffering the effects of discrimination, persecution and violence. It is one thing to claim that Dorje Shugden practitioners are lying about there being a ban on this protector practice; it is quite another to nullify what a high lama of the Kagyu tradition is saying!

Choje Todgen Rinpoche’s statement also negates another of the Tibetan leadership’s lies. For years now, the Dalai Lama and the CTA have claimed that Dorje Shugden is only a minor practice and downplayed historical references that Dorje Shugden is in fact an enlightened Dharma Protector. But a high Kagyu Lama who has no vested interest in the issue has now confirmed that Dorje Shugden was a major practice before the ban and worshipped by many Gelug practitioners including the Dalai Lama himself. Choje Todgen Rinpoche also recognizes that the Dalai Lama’s ban on Dorje Shugden’s practice has created a split among Gelugpa practitioners.

Intimidation and coercion

…during the whole trip [in Ladakh], those who said they were acting on behalf of the Dalai Lama used every possible direct and indirect means – including intimidation – to discourage the Ladakhi people from attending the teachings and to confuse them.

The letter also states that:

Ugyen Tobgay Rinpoche and Tai Situ Rinpoche were also the instigators of the stoning of KIBI monastery during the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje enthronization on March 17th, 1994 (footage on youtube).

These days, it is not uncommon to hear of the Dalai Lama’s followers utilizing violence and coercion in order to force others into conforming with the Dalai Lama’s dictates. Many Dorje Shugden practitioners would be familiar with the intimidation methods employed against followers of Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje. Such incidents transpire because the Dalai Lama does nothing to prevent his followers from engaging in systematic ostracism of anyone who acts against his wishes.

The following are just some examples of the discrimination and violence experienced by Dorje Shugden practitioners and others seen to be opposing the Dalai Lama. There are many others.

On September 10th 2000, a mob consisting of over 3000 monks, nuns and lay people from the surrounding monasteries and villages attacked Dokham Khangtsen of Ganden Shartse Monastery. While the monks inside the prayer hall engaged in a Dorje Shugden puja, the angry mob threw rocks and bricks at the monks and threatened to burn the prayer hall down. 3 cops and 30 Dorje Shugden practitioners were injured as a result of this violent riot, which was organized by the local representative of the Dalai Lama! Watch the horrific video below:

On May 18th 2014, a group of the Dalai Lama’s supporters consisting of 40 monks and lay people attempted to forcibly occupy Gaden Choeling Monastery, a monastery that belongs H.E. Domo Geshe Rinpoche. This takeover attempt was repeated a second time within two months.

Gen Chonzey, the old assistant of H.H. Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang, was beaten by a group of men on December 27th 2013. It is said that the incident happened due to H.H. Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche’s refusal to attend the Dalai Lama’s Jangchup Lamrim teachings in Sera Monastery, as he would have to give up the practice of Dorje Shugden in order to do so.

On September 10th 2014, Gyalwang Drukpa published an open letter appealing for the stoppage of forced conversion of Drukpa Kagyu monasteries and holy sites to Karma Kagyu, which was done by those ostensibly in support of Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje and the Dalai Lama. Watch the video below:

How should a real practitioner behave?

Today the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje has received all the transmissions of the teachings, not only from Kagyu lineage high masters but also from Sakya and Nyigma high masters. He has completed the different stages of hearing the dharma, reflecting on the dharma and actualizing the practice of the dharma. For the past twenty years, the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje has been giving initiations, transmissions and teachings in over a 100 monasteries of the Himalayan region (India, Nepal, Sikkhim, Bhutan, Ladakh) and in over 1’000 Buddhist centers worldwide. Tens of thousands of monks, nuns and lay people gather around him yearly for the Kagyu Meunlam in Bodhgaya. In over 20 years since I have known him, I have never heard the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje talk about anything else than love, compassion and bodhicitta. And he has never mentioned politics.

Compare Lodreu Rinpoche’s description of how a true teacher of the Dharma should behave with the actions of the Dalai Lama, who is heavily involved in politics and seemingly encourages and allows his followers to harass others and engage in violent behavior. For instance, Karmapa Thinley Thaye Dorje has displayed the qualities of a supreme leader and Dharma master by giving valuable advice in various difficult situations that have stirred emotions in the hearts of many Kagyupas.

Similarly, H.H. Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche encouraged his followers to remain calm and take no action in the face of Penpa Tsering’s accusations and defamations against him and other Dorje Shugden lamas such as H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche. Even Dorje Shugden himself, via the Gameng Oracle on the occasion of the inauguration of Shar Ganden Monastery, gave advice rooted in Dharma to the assembly of his practitioners.

An appeal for action

Therefore, I ask Your Holiness the Dalai Lama: if the recent problems in Taiwan and Ladakh are the consequence of your instructions, why would you deprive us, Karma Kagyus, of our religious freedom? If indeed it is your word, I humbly ask you to stop acting this way and to respect the religious freedom that is rightfully ours. Conversely, if people are unduly using your image and pretending they act on your orders, shouldn’t you intervene to stop these worthless and despicable activities that tarnish your reputation?

This letter is a minute overview of all that I have directly witnessed and which I can easily prove. I am not afraid of truth.

Any intelligent person would realize that the Dalai Lama holds tremendous influence among his followers. He has the ability to stop all discrimination and violence performed in his name, even heal the separation between opposing factions, with just a few words.

However, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Dalai Lama who preaches tolerance, compassion and kindness has done nothing of the sort and the sufferings of those who do not comply with his wishes, be they Kagyupas who support Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje, Gelugpas who practice Dorje Shugden, or loyal Tibetans in support of the Free Tibet cause, continue unceasingly.

In conclusion

From Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche’s letter and many other open letters to the Dalai Lama archived in various Karma Kagyu sites, we see that the harassment, discrimination and persecutions carried out by the Dalai Lama’s followers are not limited to Dorje Shugden practitioners alone. What is becoming increasingly clear is how the Dalai Lama’s ‘government’ has never hesitated to manipulate and abuse their powers to oppress and exploit the Tibetan people and organizations, while all the time pretending to be a liberal government that respects the people’s rights.

Proper governments use the Law to regulate the behavior of their respective societies towards a common benefit. Proper governments are subject to the very law they uphold. The Tibetan ‘government’ has its Constitution and Law only to beguile the world that it is pursuing a democratic society so as to garner support against its enemy, a Communist regime. In fact, the CTA operates under no laws whatsoever, and whatever tools it can leverage on and use in the name of the Dalai Lama becomes the ‘law’. In addition, the Dalai Lama’s words, instructions, and preference become law and this ‘law’ changes according to the Dalai Lama’s whims and fancies.

Accordingly, anything that does not meet the Dalai Lama’s preference is deemed outside the law. The Dalai Lama, although not authorized by the law or tradition to interfere in the recognition of the Karma Kagyu’s succession plan, did so and endorsed one candidate. And that automatically renders the other, in this case the Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje, a target for persecution. Similarly, the Dalai Lama unilaterally decided to abandon Tibetan independence (Rangzen) and that automatically rendered those wishing to return to their country as free people, traitors. The Dalai Lama imposed a religious ban on the Dorje Shugden practice that brazenly flouts the Tibetan Constitution but instead of calling the Dalai Lama to bear, Shugden practitioners are declared criminals by the CTA, a supposedly democratic government.

These are very disturbing facts that we need to bring to light and to inform the world public of. When more people in the international community become aware of the sufferings endured by those who choose to exercise their right to religious freedom despite what the Dalai Lama advices, it will perhaps finally put enough pressure on the Dalai Lama to intervene and instruct his followers to stop the violence.

We are grateful for individuals like Lodreu Rinpoche who are unafraid to speak up and fight for what they believe in, which in Lodreu Rinpoche’s case is the religious freedom to follow the guru of his choice, Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje. We are also grateful to the International Shugden Community who in the past organized peaceful demonstrations to request the Dalai Lama to give religious freedom to Dorje Shugden practitioners to worship their protector deity of choice. Lastly, we wish to extend our heartfelt appeal to the Dalai Lama to stop your followers from harassing those who disagree with your views and to have tolerance and compassion for all regardless of their religious beliefs.

Rumtek Monastery, the traditional seat of the Karmapa remains empty until today due to the Dalai Lama’s interference. When will the Dalai Lama and CTA stop meddling and mixing spirituality with politics?

Update: General reception of the letter

Since it was posted on Lodreu Rinpoche’s Facebook page, the letter has received much positive feedback (click here to read the comments). Many of Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje’s supporters and Lodreu Rinpoche’s followers thanked Lodreu Rinpoche for his courage to bring awareness to the harassment and faith-based discrimination suffered by Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje and his followers. For instance, Matt Dippl commented,

Thank you very much Rinpoche for your fearless effort to protect our precious lineage from outside interference. May our precious Karma Kamtsang lineage remain independent, practice oriented and forever free of outsiders politics for the benefit of all beings! Long life to Gyalwa Karmapa Thaye Dorje and all our great Rinpoche! Thank you very much.

Another follower actually hopes for the Dalai Lama to intervene and end the confusing situation,

I wish so much that HH [the] Dalai Lama was able to finish this confusion situation for the sake of all beings as a great Bodhisattva.

Such comments on Lodreu Rinpoche’s Facebook page clearly show that more and more Western Dharma practitioners are recognizing the negative effects of the Dalai Lama’s actions and proclamations, and are unafraid to speak out for change. It is no longer just Dorje Shugden practitioners but also individuals from other traditions who are respectfully appealing to the Dalai Lama to do something to stop the coercion, discrimination and intimidation that is being done in his name.

Appendices

Brief background of the two Karmapas

H.H. the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje was born in 1983 to Mipham Rinpoche, an important lama of the Nyingma School. He was enthroned as the Karmapa at the age of 11 in Karmapa International Buddhist Institute (“KIBI”) in New Delhi.

H.H. the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje was born in 1985 to a nomadic family in Eastern Tibet. He was formally enthroned as the Karmapa at the age of 7 in Tsurphu Monastery, the Karmapa’s traditional seat in Tibet. His enthronement was approved and supported by the Chinese government. In late December 1999, he escaped China-occupied Tibet for India and joined the Dalai Lama in exile.

The 17th Karmapa Controversy

Several years after H.H. the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje passed away in 1981, the Karma Kagyu’s senior leadership initiated the search for his reincarnation. The search led to two potential candidates: Trinley Thaye Dorje and Ogyen Trinley Dorje. Shamar Rinpoche recognized Trinley Thaye Dorje as the incarnation of the 16th Karmapa while Tai Situ Rinpoche recognized Ogyen Trinley Dorje.

Traditionally, the Shamarpa or Shamar Rinpoche holds the primary responsibility of recognizing and enthroning the Karmapa. However, Tai Situ Rinpoche approached the Dalai Lama to confirm his choice of candidate, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, as the reincarnation of the 16th Karmapa and the Dalai Lama granted this confirmation, while the Shamarpa held firm to his choice of candidate, Trinley Thaye Dorje.

As a result of the Dalai Lama’s intervention, the Karmapa controversy was born.

About Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche

Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche

Ven. Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche (also known as Lodro Rinpoche) is a Lama of Karma Kagyu lineage and a follower of H.H. the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje. He was born in Gha county in Dhokham, Tibet. He became a monk at an early age. Currently, he is a teacher at Marpa Kagyu Dharma Society in Singapore.

Previously in May 2011, in his capacity as the General Secretary of H.H. the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje, Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche wrote to the Dalai Lama to inform him that supporters of Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje condemned the takeover of Rumtek Monastery by Tai Situ Rinpoche and their plans to re-acquire Rumtek Monastery by legal means and in accordance with the lineage’s tradition.

Various Lamas with Both Karmapa Candidates

Sakya lamas

Both Karmapa candidates with Sakya masters. Click on the image to enalrge.

LEFT: The Karmapa Thaye Dorje (third from left) with His Holiness the 41st Sakya Trizin (second from right). They sit with Sakya masters including Sakya Trizin’s sister Jetsunma, Luding Khen Rinpoche and Sakya Trizin’s son. Appearing in a photograph with Karmapa Thaye Dorje is Sakya Trizin and Luding Khen Rinpoche’s endorsement that Karmapa Thaye Dorje is the right candidate. They would never take a picture with him if they felt he was the wrong candidate. Why take a picture with a fraudulent candidate to confuse the Sakya public? And why risk condemnation from the Tibetan leadership for endorsing the candidate who is NOT recognised by His Holiness the Dalai Lama?

RIGHT: The Karmapa Ogyen Trinley with His Holiness the 41st Sakya Trizin and Luding Khen Rinpoche. Orgyen Trinley is the Karmapa candidate identified and confirmed by Tai Situ Rinpoche, and endorsed by the Dalai Lama. Sakya Trizin and Luding Khen Rinpoche have appeared in photos with both Karmapas, thus giving their endorsement to both candidates. Is this an attempt at political correctness? The Sakya Trizin is frequently pictured with Ogyen Trinley in Dharamsala; is he defying the Dalai Lama’s recognition of Ogyen Trinley, by appearing photos with Thaye Dorje? How does this impact the already divided Karma Kagyu community?

Both Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoches

Both Karmapa candidates, with both Jamgon Kongtrul candidates. Click on the image to enlarge.

On the left is the Karmapa Thaye Dorje with Jamgon Kongtrul Migyur Drakpa Sengge Rinpoche (to the Karmapa’s right). On the right is the Karmapa Ogyen Trinley with Jamgon Kongtrul Lodrö Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche (to the Karmapa’s left).

The Karma Kagyu tradition is facing many more issues and much more disharmony than the Tibetan leadership would have you believe, with the divisions extending beyond the issue of the two Karmapas. The divisions have even affected the reincarnation lineage of the Jamgon Kongtruls. Since Jamgon Kongtrul is one of the Four Regents of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, it is the Karmapa who has the authority to recognise their incarnations.

What is interesting in the 4th Jamgon Kongtrul’s case is that both candidates have relationships with the Dalai Lama. While Ogyen Trinley’s candidate was recognised and confirmed by the Dalai Lama, the Dalai Lama also performed the hair-cutting ceremony for Thaye Dorje’s candidate. Why would the Dalai Lama recognise Thaye Dorje’s candidate in this manner? Before conducting the hair-cutting ceremony for Thaye Dorje’s candidate, the Dalai Lama would have been informed who the young boy was the reincarnation of. If the Dalai Lama did NOT agree with Thaye Dorje’s candidate, he would not have agreed to perform the hair-cutting ceremony for him. So the fact he did perform the ceremony, is tantamount to a recognition. This clashes with Ogyen Trinley’s recognition of a separate Jamgon Kongtrul incarnation.

Chogye Trichen Rinpoche

Both Karmapa candidates with Chogye Trichen Rinpoche. Click on the image to enlarge

LEFT: The Karmapa Thaye Dorje with Chogye Trichen Rinpoche (center) and the Sharmapa (right). Within the Sakya tradition, Chogye Trichen Rinpoche considered a master of masters and he commands great respect and faith amongst Sakya practitioners, even with the current Sakya Trizin whom he has given teachings to. Being seated with Thaye Dorje here in what looks to be a formal portrait or photograph indicates that he accepts this incarnation. Otherwise why appear in a formal portrait with him, when doing so risks the wrath of the Tibetan leadership since Thaye Dorje has not been endorsed by the Dalai Lama as the real Karmapa?

RIGHT:Chogye Trichen Rinpoche can be seen here with the Karmapa Ogyen Trinley. This is the Karmapa candidate recognised and approved by the Dalai Lama. One has to wonder why a lama of Chogye Trichen Rinpoche’s reputation and accomplishments has appeared in photos with both Karmapa candidates. Was he forced to sit with the Karmapa Ogyen Trinley, being that this photograph was taken in Dharamasala? Or does Chogye Trichen Rinpoche accept both candidates?

Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche

LEFT: The Karmapa Thaye Dorje seen here with the young incarnation of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, known as Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche. Bear in mind again that Thaye Dorje’s recognition as the 17th Karmapa has not been endorsed by the Dalai Lama. Will appearing in a picture with Thaye Dorje result in comments and condemnation from the Tibetan leadership, because Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche is going against the Dalai Lama’s recognition of Ogyen Trinley as the real Karmapa?

RIGHT: The Karmapa Ogyen Trinley seen here with Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche. It remains to be seen why Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche would meet with both candidates when there is divisions in the Karma Kagyu school over the recognition of the Karmapa? In meeting with Ogyen Trinley, Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche upsets Karmapa Thaye Dorje’s supporters; in meeting with Thaye Dorje, he upsets Karmapa Ogyen Trinley’s supporters.

Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche

Both Karmapa candidates with Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. Click on the image to enlarge.

Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche is a respected lama in the Karma Kagyu, Drikung Kagyu, and Nyingma traditions. As above, it can be seen that he has met and has some kind of relationship with both Karmapa candidates. Otherwise, if he did not agree with either candidate, why meet with them and allow a photograph to be taken? On the left, he shows great respect to the Karmapa Thaye Dorje and on the right, he appears with the Karmapa Ogyen Trinley. Both Karmapa candidates are not accepted by the entire school of Karma Kagyu practitioners, who have split down the middle in support of either candidate.

Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche

Both Karmapa candidates with Drikung Chetsang Rinpoche. Click on the image to enlarge.

On the left, the Karmapa Thaye Dorje appears with Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche, who is the 37th throne holder of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage. On the right, the Karmapa Ogyen Trinley sits with Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche. What message is Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang trying to send to the Karma Kagyu school, and to Tibetans everywhere? Does he endorse only one candidate, and is being forced to appear with the other? Or does he endorse both candidates? Worse still, is Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang, who is the throneholder of the Drikung Kagyu school (and therefore a lama of repute and rank), saying that the Dalai Lama is wrong for only endorsing one Karmapa candidate, while many other lamas appear to recognise and endorse both (as can be seen from the pictures above)?

Lama Ole Nydahl

Lama Ole Nydahl with the Karmapa Thaye Dorje. Click on the image to enlarge.

The Western teacher Lama Ole Nydahl was very devoted to the previous 16th Karmapa and at the instructions of his teacher, opened 659 centres all over the world to spread the Karma Kagyu lineage. To accomplish this, he spent four decades teaching Buddhism and connecting practitioners everywhere with the Karma Kagyu lineage. This prolific teacher who had a close relationship to the 16th Karmapa has endorsed the Karmapa Thaye Dorje as the genuine reincarnation of his precious teacher.

He has never appeared in a photograph with the Dalai Lama’s choice of Ogyen Trinley or spoken of any kind of endorsement for Ogyen Trinley. He also does not receive teachings from the Karmapa Ogyen Trinley or from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Due to Lama Ole Nydhal’s influence, 659 Karma Kagyu centres worldwide are under the spiritual guidance and leadership of the Karmapa Thaye Dorje.

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More Tibetan lamas and Tibetans are speaking out against the Dalai Lama. These people feel their religious freedom is being taken away. They are writing strong letters to the Dalai Lama. Most likely the Dalai Lama will not respond. This is exactly what happened to the Dorje Shugden people.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama allowed the Chinese government to intervene with the recognition of the 11th Panchen Lama, doing nothing about the missing boy who he has chosen to be the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama. In addition to these, he himself intervenes with the recognition of the Domo Geshe Rinpoche, Kundeling Rinpoche in the Gelug lineage as well as the non-Gelug lama, the spiritual head of the Karma Kagyu lineage.

It seems that His Holiness’ forceful actions are carried out disrespectfully towards the lineage, system, procedure and recognition of the other lamas and lineage. He is couldn’t care less about the truth and enjoy intervening into political and mundane issues that shouldn’t concern him in the first place. With the recognition of the Domo Geshe Rinpoche and Kundeling Rinpoche, it is clear to us that is another way to further punish and suppress Dorje Shugden practitioner. For the Karmapa, one can say it is no other than political reasons, to control the other lineage and expand his influence which trend can be traced since the first Dalai Lama. The letter by Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche is another important and strong evidence that proofs this trend.

Let’s see what the CTA will do other than keeping quiet as they normally would. Their keeping quiet is done with an intention to be seen as non-sectarian because they will be called one if they do anything about these letters.

Thank you for posting this explosive article. It definitely bring the faith based discrimination by the Tibetan leadership to a whole new level. So far, we heard little of oppression of other sects other than Dorje Shugden practitioners. It is very courageous of Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche to write an open letter in this tone knowing the potential repercussion that may come.
It is interesting to see that Tibetan leadership has a nag of changing things into their favour. They do not want to be called sectarian when intimidating Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje, so they accuse him of practicing Dorje Shugden which they always accuse as sectarian because Dorje Shugden supposedly only protect the Gelug teachings. If it is so then why accused the head of another sect of practicing Dorje Shugden – I thought He is ‘sectarian’. What a hypocritical accusation to twist things in their favour. Actually I feel that they degrade the readers by saying this and think that they are the most intelligent person in the world. I am glad that this point is being made clear in the article.
My best wishes for Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche. Just like you I sincerely hope that the Dalai Lama clarifies all the conflicts that he initiated as mentioned in the above article.

Not only Dorje Shugden is persecuted – also Karma Kagyu… The Tibetan Buddhism needs to be free again. We need to speak up and make the world know what kind of government the Tibetans have and that the kindness and compassion of H.H. is not towards all and but that there are many suffering of discrimination and persecution!

Indeed it is hard to believe that the Nobel Peace Prize winner, the Dalai Lama can be at the beginning of such barbaric acts like creating division within the different sects and monasteries, banning highly attained masters and practices that have been followed for many hundreds of years, … why these pseudo-recognitions of Lamas … or preventing people from attending teachings … ?? Where did Buddha teach something like that??

It is hard to imagine the extend of harm and suffering that has been created on a physical, mental and emotional level and still is ongoing.

My thoughts go out to all the followers of Karma Kagyu as well as the Dorje Shugden followers who suffer since so long. There is so much proof, so many human rights are being violated. The non-respect of all Tibetan Buddhist practitioners is so obvious yet the Dalai Lama does not stop the persecution and oppression! It is difficult to believe what is happening!

May all ban, discrimination and oppression soon be ended so that Buddhism can be practiced in peace, harmony and with honesty.

This is the true concern about the ban on Dorje Shugden: the recklessness of leadership that would do whatever they wish to whoever they want. It is shamefully apparent that the Dalai Lama and the CTA is imposing their authority on anyone they can get their hands on. Not only has the Dalai Lama and CTA corrupted the Karma Kagyu, Drukpa Kagyu and Jonang tradition to name a few, they also try to force their influence on the Burmese monks. It is very sad that the Tibetan leadership is acting so carelessly after successfully sculpting a holy image of peace and compassion of the Dalai Lama to the entire world. Is this a reflection of the Tibetan leadership’s arrogance to think that are above the rest and they can do whatever they want and nobody can stop them?

In a way, my answer to that question is “yes” based on results we can see. The Tibetan leadership IS GETTING AWAY with murder. They are caught with blood in their hands, yet they are not called on to be accountable or responsible simply because their skin is think enough to deny the truth.

Hence, the urgent and desperate need for the public to take action by simply not tolerating this invasion of human rights.

Everything i read about Tibet, Tibetan affairs these days always seems to highlight the fact that the leadership is very self-serving and destructive. A truly democratic government should not spend so much, time, effort and resources to instigate such policies that so harm the Buddhadharma all to retain their power and hold over the Tibetan people. This is utterly despicable.

I hope that may all the conflicts end soon, the operations of the leadership has led to many problems, this Karmapa issue and Dorje Shugden ban are just some examples of the results to the leadership’s unjustness and corrupted behaviours.

No one should suffer for believing in their respective religious choices, religious freedom is one of the most basic human rights. It’s amazing that in the 21st century now, religious discrimination still exists. The Tibetan leadership should start doing something about this.

Wow he sure is one brave lama to speak up so directly in his letter to the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama would do best to speak up.

Many are suffering and many are thorn… why doesn’t the Dalai Lama put a stop to this barbaric behaviour? It is either the Dalai Lama is in purposely doing this or there is something good that we can’t see that will come out of all this chaos and disharmony.

It is truly brave of Lodro Rinpoche to write such a honest open letter questioning what’s only logical and obvious to the Dalai Lama. Only a Lama from another sect is ‘allowed’ to get away from questioning the Dalai Lama, can you imagine if it was a Gelugpa lama who did this questioning, He would have been labelled a traitor, a Chinese dog, and Lord only knows what else.

The fact that the Tibetan Leadership even dares to try to lie and falsely accuse the Karmapa Thaye Dorje for practising Shugden shows how desperate and vindictive they are to sabotage Thaye Dorje just because He wasn’t the ‘chosen’ Karmapa by the Dalai Lama. So it is perceived and seen that those in support of Thaye Dorje is defying and against the Dalai Lama when in the first place the Dalai Lama had NO business in recognising the Karmapa’s incarnation. So why did the Dalai Lama purposely do it this time knowing very well He would be creating a split?

Is it merely to show His power that He can override anyone He pleases or is it for a better cause, 2 Karmapas to spread more Dharma? Then why not recognise both as we have seen and heard that one enlightened Lama can emanate into several Lamas simultaneously? Or did Tai Situpa created a lucrative deal with Dharamsala, one that spells corruption and all things fishy just like the Sikyong’s election. That generally gave us all a glimpse of the real faces of Tibetan leadership. Whatever it may be, one thing is for sure the beautiful, kind, gentle, pure, compassionate and full of wisdom Tibetan leadership seems be nothing more than just a huge propaganda to get funds for their own pockets and so anyone who stands in their way, or is even remotely considered a threat, would be eliminated. Overall the Tibetan Leadership is not a very sincere, nor is it a nice one – this is the greatest deception!

This fact is true but very hard for many people to accept. Who does not prefer to love and respect the Dalai Lama? But the reality is, he and his government will never allow people to have freedom, their own opinion, to exercise even the most basic human rights and self-determination. The image of the Dalai Lama is very different from the real Dalai Lama.

One day everyone will know how the Dalai Lama suppressed the Tibetan people’s hopes and chances for real freedom and how the Dalai Lama destroyed the Tibetan nation of people by creating so much division such as the way he created chaos within the Kagyu, and how he literally destroyed what was really intact even after the Chinese invasion.

The CTA is no better. They appear to be supporting the Dalai Lama but in fact they use the Dalai Lama and exploit the refugee statues of the exiled Tibetans as well as the plight of the people to line their pockets.

This controversy is why I left the Karma Kagyu sect years ago. Some of my fellow dharma students left also. We still practice on our own, but to be involved in this lineage is so disheartening. I donated, helped out in the centre and really believed in what we were doing but when this controversy arose the first thing I thought is why mix politics with religion. We were so confused. Amazed that the regents of the lineage can fight, argue and really just look like ordinary people grabbing at power. I have faith in the Buddha, karma and dharma. I stick to these three but I do hope this problem can be resolved soon.

Respect to Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche because he is not afraid to speak up , seek for the religious freedom by sending the request to His Holiness Dalai Lama. Not to talk about the religions, all human beings are born free and have equal rights. We are living in community. As long as the people do not give harm/damage to others or the country, everyone should have the freedom to choose their life, religion and etc that they want. We are living with full of challenges and suffering each day, please understand and be tolerated to make the life easy for everyone.

What is the benefit for the Tibetan leadership and Dalai Lama to interfere with the selection of Karmapa lineage holder? If we take a look at the what is happening now within Karmapa after Dalai Lama’s loop-sided endorsement, we will realize that the one not being backed by Dalai Lama is being persecuted. And there is confusion within the Karma-Kagyu lineage. Just like the ban Dalai Lama imposed on Dorje Shugden practices. Dalai Lama hold a special command over his followers. If he wishes, he could end the conflict very swiftly and end the sufferings of many. We peacefully request for Dalai Lama to lift the ban on Dorje Shugden and also restore peace within the Karma-Kagyu tradition.

It is a shame that until this day there is no religious freedom for the people in Tibet. Tibetan leadership has always promote themselves to be a democratic country but what we are seeing here is contrary. This unfair treatment should be highlighted and be brought up so more are aware of such action. More Tibetan people should voice out the injustice.

I hope Dalai Lama would solve this issue as soon as possible to stop all the discrimination and suffering of Tibetan

I am glad that Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche spoke up. All this while it was only Dorje Shugden people who dared to speak up against Dalai Lama’s oppression, and the world thought they are trouble-makers, because Dalai Lama looked like an infallible holy God, so anyone opposing him must be demon worshippers. Now Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche who is fro another sect (Kagyu) spoke up, let the world see the true color of Dalai Lama, he is not a god, he is like any other politician/rulers who from time to time do things that upset another group in order to wield his power.

Dalai Lama’s government has created a lot of problems for Tibetans everywhere. Since 1959, the result of exile for the Tibetan people has been nothing but pain, suffering and great confusion. The Tibetan leadership should be ashamed of themselves.

Don’t knuckle down yourself to ignorance, duality, eternalistic and nihilistic views and all the thoughts and emotions that arise out of this illusion of duality. Don’t waste your time and power with thoughts and emotions, just go to the root of it to dissolve duality by dissolving ignorance regarding non-duality, just practice dharma, that’s all we need to do.

It’s just about being aware or not distracted of non-duality that is real or reality because everything is free of lastingness and non-existence, everything is interdependent, everything is cause and effect and so on as well as desolving duality by ones own inherent dignity (wisdom and compassion) that is just an illusion that is rooted in the illusion of ignorance/being distracted regarding non-duality.

Like a magician who is performing an illusion and you know that this is just an illusion but your perception and experience is cheated because you don’t understand reality/non-duality and the trick/deception behind this illusion and this is keeping up this illusion.

But if you understand reality/non-duality and how the trick/deception of duality works, you are not cheated anymore and you see clearly … from that moment you understand non-duality and you understand the trick/deception of this illusion more and more as well more non-duality will be in your perception and experience of reality. Then you see and understand more and more and you become more and more free of this illusion that is keeping beings into duality and suffering.

Therefore Samaya with space is important. Only follow your own inherent dignity (wisdom and compassion) and transform your ignorance into recognizing by becoming aware of non-duality by dharma practice. You are free anyway, so just choose your own inherent dignity and become more and more free. Stand up get up, practice wisdom and compassion for your freedom and wellbeing and don’t follow duality.

Worldwide public authority and economy is just a dualistic circus that will break down sooner or later anyway because within reality/non-duality illusions/duality will not work but effect problems, suffering, frustration and so on. Just look into history of mankind until our present!

So don’t hang yourself onto dualistic systems and so on but safe yourself! Ignorant beeings can’t stop impermanence so they can’t stop your wisdom and compassion, you are free. They are all in this space and cant escape from space, so they can’t escape the one and only law, government, kigdom and retinue of space/ freedom of lastingness and non-existence.

You are all free and not bound to any kind of duality/dualistic systems at all!

Dear Dharma Sam,
Thank you for sharing your experience and its sad that these great lamas act like ordinary beings but it could also be that they are manifesting crazy wisdom or unconventional behaviour to benefit beings. How can we tell if they are? No, at our level, we cannot tell. Therefore, it would better to reserve our judgement and it would be better to just stick with the teachings and practice that instead of being embroiled in the controversy. I think the point of this article is not to highlight the Kagyu controversy so much but to show the similarities how the Tibetan leadership is behind the Kagyu problem along with the Shugden problem as well. It would be nice if someone in the Tibetan leadership really exhibited real leadership and work towards a resolution of some sort. The last time someone came close towards this direction was Lukar Jam. Unfortunately, he was eliminated from the elections. It’s just too bad.

The right are those who appeared with both the Rimpoches who are the follower of TRUTH. I don’t get swayed by different schools of Buddhism. I am not swayed by Dogyal, Baer Nagpo, Zha Rahula to name some. I am swayed by DHARMA the TRUTH the copyright only Lord Sakyamuni has. It is upsetting to see disharmony among Buddhist. I can sense the rightful accusation “Religion is poisonous” and is pity if Buddhism has to relate it.

Thanks for sharing this article. It explained clearly how the Tibetan government and Dalai Lama interfere with Karma-Kagyu lineage and also Dorje Shugden ban by using their power and influence. This is not a fair treatment.

Everyone should have religious freedom and to practice their own cultural or lineages. When there is a disagreement against Dalai Lama words it means it is against the law. There shouldn’t be an influence of politic in religion.

I appreciate Lodreu Rinpoche for voicing out this unfair treatment and sharing it to the everyone. I hope Tibetan government and Dalai Lama will look into this matter and resolve it peacefully.

The Dalai Lama and CTA have been very busy rearranging the Tibetan Buddhist landscape – the Shugden issue, 2 Karmapas, the Drukpa issue, the reinstatement of the Jonang, the official acknowledgement of Bön just to name the major and more publicised ones. When we see who gets to the top in the shakeup, then we see who has to gain in all these interferences and its none other than the Dalai Lama.

Why can’t people just see that the Dalai Lama is a politician first and foremost and a deathly cunning one.

The oppressive atmosphere within the Tibetan community in exile must have gotten really bad for Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche to write this open letter. Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche is risking a lot to bring awareness to the harassment and faith-based discrimination as the followers of Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje and the Dalai Lama as well as the CTA will be very upset with him. The letter addresses various points of harassment, intimidation and discrimination which the CTA would like not like for it to be addressed openly.

Suppression of religious freedom and human rights is now not only directed at Dorje Shugden practitioners within the Gelup school, but has extended to other sects of Tibetan Buddhism, in this instance the Karma Kagyus. All these divide and causes of further suffering for the Tibetans in exile, despite the claims of CTA being non-sectarian and the Dalai Lama advocating kindness and compassion, winning a Nobel Peace Prize in the process. How ironic.

May there be a resolution to end these great divide among the Tibetans. Being Buddhist, we should follow the teachings of Buddha and help alleviate the sufferings of being not create more suffering.

These are concrete proof that CTA and HHDL has not rightfully interfere with others sect and lineage. This has resulted in splitting the sangha community, no human rights and even committing crimes in hurting those who do not follow their instructions. We are very lucky to have great master like Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche who has courage in sending letters questioning HHDL directly for all his past actions. We need to continue exposing the unlawful act of CTA and HHDL imposing ban on others. We need to stop the sufferings DS practitioners experience all this while.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s followers are acting very rude and they definitely did not apply what His Holiness preaches into their daily lives. His Holiness won a Nobel peace prize and reason being that was because he whenever he goes, he always preaches about tolerance and having compassion towards all sentient beings. Followers like these have reflected His Holiness very badly.

No matter what His Holiness does, I still believe that it’s to benefit the bigger picture. Most of us do not have the wisdom or rather merits to understand His Holiness and therefore we have started to doubt His Holiness. I have always believed in His Holiness the Dalai Lama, our paths may differ but he is still an emanation of Buddha Avalokiteshvara. I 100% believe that he is enlightened and therefore whatever he does is definitely to solely benefit sentient beings.

I feel it is sad that so many people in the West dont want to meet this incredible array of Tibetan Lamas & gurus and are willing to reject them all in the name of the Dalai Lama

Its like rejecting Jesus & his 12 disciples in order to follow the Pope

All these beautiful Lamas silenced…if only one lama is allowed to be in the spotlight…that is obviously a person who hasnt overcome worldly desires for fame & egocentric outlook. Its the ego that wants all the glory & wants to control everyone else making them afraid & demanding compliance. All these lamas are just as qualified..they have studied the same instructions. Why does the west not want to connect with all these great lamas???

We are indebted to Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche is not afraid and is clear and direct to share his views about the Karmapa and Dorje Shugden issue. The post modern age is a really confusing time for the Tibetan Buddhists.

A time, where rules are circumvented, those in power freely change things about Tibetan Buddhism as they like. One Day, a deity or lama is divine, the next moment the person or the deity is vilified, things keep on flip flopping. It is made so much worst when CTA and the Dalai Lama get involved and add fuel to the confusion.

I am a big fan of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. I must say Rinpoche is unconventional, the first Tulku who is well known for his movies, always taking funky pictures, acting in crazy-wisdom style. He is very different from many Gelugpa lamas I met, who are more traditional.

It is obvious that the CTA supports and approves of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and his Foundation’s activities because he does not practice Dorje Shugden, and that means Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche is aligned with the CTA’s position. I personally do not think there is an issue with Dorje Shugden practice since His Holiness the Dalai Lama has advised that it is ‘personal choice’. However, it is strange that the CTA decided to make that a political issue and labelled the Shugden worshippers as criminals for causing “grave harm to the faith and polity of Tibet under the Chinese government’s ploy and in violation of the law of Karma ” . Since when is CTA a suitable jugde for those who violate the law of Karma, lol. Look at what they are doing themselves, especially during the recent elections.

The CTA is afraid to say anything especially if the lamas or parties involved are not Gelugpa. All non-Dorje Shugden lamas around the world can do unorthodox acts, sorry to say, some were even involved in scandals, but the CTA does not seem to care, as long as they don’t ‘practice Dorje Shugden’ (meaning going against the CTA wishes to continue to divide the Tibetan community for their self-serving purposes).

It is sad that because His Holiness the Dalai Lama is very compassionate, the mistakes done by the CTA is now forgiven, this was implied by His Holiness the Dalai Lama told the Tibetans living in California state of the USA during his recent meeting with them that all the discordant issues which cropped up during the recently concluded Tibetan general elections had now completely subsided. So for the Shugden worshippers, as well as in recent development, the Karma Kagyu supporters of Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje continue to be discriminated, sabotaged while the CTA continue to turn a deaf ear despite peaceful protests by Shugden worshippers and open letter by Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/the-karmapa-oppressed-by-dalai-lama-loyalists/).

I agree with you that it is indeed a confusing time. And we do need more people who step up and clarify the situation like Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche. I like his style because he is holding on to the facts without being nasty or degrading to the Dalai Lama.

But at the same time, I believe we should not loose faith in the Dalai Lama because he is the manifestation of Chenrezig and the previous incarnation of Trijang Rinpoche also advised us not to have wrong view about the dalai lama

What will the all the people around the world and in Tibet do now? Dalai Lama says he is happy that Tibet is a part of China and should remain a part of China. So many Tibetans self-immolated for Tibet to be independent and now Dalai Lama did a 360 degree turn and says he wants to go back to Tibet and China and Tibet should be a part of China. So unbelievable. So many are angry and disappointed.

Tibetans ready to be part of China: Dalai Lama
Organised by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), the event was a part of “Thank You India – 2018″ held by the Tibetan community across India to mark 60 years of its exile in the country.
Indo-Asian News Service
Bengaluru
Tibetans are ready to be a part of China if guaranteed full rights to preserve their culture, the Dalai Lama said on Friday.
“Tibetans are not asking for independence. We are okay with remaining with the People’s Republic of China, provided we have full rights to preserve our culture,” the 83-year-old spiritual leader said at “Thank You Karnataka” event here in the city.
Organised by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), the event was a part of “Thank You India – 2018″ held by the Tibetan community across India to mark 60 years of its exile in the country.
“Several of Chinese citizens practicing Buddhism are keen on Tibetan Buddhism as it is considered scientific,” the Nobel laureate said.
Born in Taktser hamlet in northeastern Tibet, the Dalai Lama was recognized at the age of two as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso. He fled to India from Tibet after a failed uprising against the Chinese rule in 1959.
China annexed Tibet in 1950, forcing thousands of Tibetans, including monks, to flee the mountain country and settle in India as refugees.
Since then, India has been home to over 100,000 Tibetans majorly settled in Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh among other states.https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/india/tibetans-ready-to-be-part-of-china-dalai-lama/293109.html

Since you started the cruel ban against the 350 year Dorje Shugden practice, how has it benefit your Tibetan society and Buddhism in the world? Things have become worse and most educated Tibetans can see this. They don’t speak out not because they don’t see your ban as wrong, but you instill fear in them and not respect. It is like fear of a dictator. I am sorry to say so. Everyone is divided. There is no harmony. Before your ban there was more harmony and unity.

By enacting the ban, you split the monasteries, split so many families, split regions in Tibet apart, split your disciples from you, split your own gurus from you, split Tibetan Buddhism apart. You have created so much disharmony.

It is not democratic what you have done to ban a religion within your community. You always talk of tolerance and acceptance and democracy and yet you do not accept and tolerate something different from your beliefs. When people practice Dorje Shugden you ostracize them, ban them from seeing you, ban them from using Tibetan facilities. You know you have done that. There are videos that capture your speech and prove this point. You even had people expelled from monasteries just because they practice Dorje Shugden. Some of the monks you expelled have been in the monastery for over 40 years. Many older monks shed tears because of this.

Many young educated Tibetans lost confidence in you as they saw the damage the Dorje Shugden ban created and they lose hope. Many have become free thinkers. They reject what you have done. So many people in the west left Buddhism because of the confusion you created with this ban against Dorje Shugden which is immoral.

You could of had millions of people who practice Dorje Shugden to support, love and follow you, but you scared them away. They are hurt and very disappointed. They loved you and respected you deeply before the ban. It has been 60 years and you have failed to get Tibet back. Your biggest failure is not getting Tibet back after 57 years in exile. Now you are begging China to allow you to return to Tibet to the disappointment of thousands of people who fought for a free Tibet believing in you. So many self-immolated for a free Tibet and now you want Tibet to be a part of China with no referendum from Tibetans. Just like a dictator, you decide on your own. It was your government and you that lost Tibet in the first place. Your policies and style of doing things do not benefit Tibet and Buddhism. You have been the sole ruler of Tibet your whole life and you still have not gotten our country of Tibet back for us. Our families and us are separated. Yet you create more pain by creating a ban to further divide people. Please have compassion.

No other Buddhist leader has banned or condemned any religion except for you. It looks very bad. You are a Nobel laureate and this is not fitting of a laureate. You should unite people and not separate them by religious differences.

You said Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi did not do right to the Rohingya people in Myanmar due to religious differences, but you are doing the same thing to the Shugden Buddhists within your own society. There is a parallel in this. You separate the Shugden Buddhists from the others in Tibetan society.

You have lost so many people who would have loved and supported you. You have lost so much support around the world. The Shugden Buddhists who love you number in the millions. When you are fast losing support from governments and private people, it will not do you well to lose more.

After you are passed away in the future, the rift you created between the Dorje Shugden and non-Dorje Shugden people will remain for a while and that will be your legacy. Disharmony. You will be remembered for this. Not as a hero but a disharmony creator.

Dorje Shugden will spread and further grow, but you will be no more as you are a human. No one wishes you bad and in fact we hope you have a long and healthy life, but we have lost so much hope and have so much despair because of you. All the hundreds of Dorje Shugden lamas, tulkus and geshes are maturing and there are hundreds of Dorje Shugden monasteries in Tibet who will not give up Dorje Shugden. You have made a mistake. These hundreds of teachers and teachers to be will spread Dorje Shugden further in the future.

The gurus that gave us Dorje Shugden as a spiritual practice and you have called these holy gurus wrong and they are mistaken in giving us Dorje Shugden. How can you insult our gurus whom we respect so much? If they can be wrong, then you can be wrong. Then all gurus can be wrong. So no one needs to listen to any guru? You have created this trend. It is not healthy. Your own gurus practiced Dorje Shugden their whole lives. Your own gurus were exemplary and highly learned.

Dalai Lama you have created so much pain with this ban against so many people due to religion. You are ageing fast. Are you going to do anything about it or stay stubborn, hard and un-moving. You show a smile and preach peace and harmony wherever you go. But will you do the same to your own people? Please rectify the wrong you have done. Please before it is too late. You can create harmony again or you can pass away in the future with this legacy of peace. May you live long and think carefully and admit what was a mistake in having this unethical ban against Dorje Shugden religion.

Why doesn’t the United States and its allies end Refugee Status for the useless Tibetans? They have been refugees for 60 years now and don’t tell me they still cannot get their lives back in order?

Tibetans really know how to put on a good show and use people, take their money and do nothing in return.

Trump and Allies Seek End to Refugee Status for Millions of Palestinians
In internal emails, Jared Kushner advocated a “sincere effort to disrupt” the U.N.’s relief agency for Palestinians.
BY COLUM LYNCH, ROBBIE GRAMER | AUGUST 3, 2018, 2:12 PM
Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior advisor, has quietly been trying to do away with the U.N. relief agency that has provided food and essential services to millions of Palestinian refugees for decades, according to internal emails obtained by Foreign Policy.
His initiative is part of a broader push by the Trump administration and its allies in Congress to strip these Palestinians of their refugee status in the region and take their issue off the table in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, according to both American and Palestinian officials. At least two bills now making their way through Congress address the issue.
Kushner, whom Trump has charged with solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has been reluctant to speak publicly about any aspect of his Middle East diplomacy. A peace plan he’s been working on with other U.S. officials for some 18 months has been one of Washington’s most closely held documents.
But his position on the refugee issue and his animus toward the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is evident in internal emails written by Kushner and others earlier this year.
“It is important to have an honest and sincere effort to disrupt UNRWA,” Kushner wrote about the agency in one of those emails, dated Jan. 11 and addressed to several other senior officials, including Trump’s Middle East peace envoy, Jason Greenblatt.
“This [agency] perpetuates a status quo, is corrupt, inefficient and doesn’t help peace,” he wrote.
The United States has helped fund UNRWA since it was formed in 1949 to provide relief for Palestinians displaced from their homes following the establishment of the State of Israel and ensuing international war. Previous administrations have viewed the agency as a critical contributor to stability in the region.
But many Israel supporters in the United States today see UNRWA as part of an international infrastructure that has artificially kept the refugee issue alive and kindled hopes among the exiled Palestinians that they might someday return home—a possibility Israel flatly rules out.
Critics of the agency point in particular to its policy of granting refugee status not just to those who fled Mandatory Palestine 70 years ago but to their descendants as well—accounting that puts the refugee population at around 5 million, nearly one-third of whom live in camps across Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, and Gaza.
By trying to unwind UNRWA, the Trump administration appears ready to reset the terms of the Palestinian refugee issue in Israel’s favor—as it did on another key issue in December, when Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
In the same January email, Kushner wrote: “Our goal can’t be to keep things stable and as they are. … Sometimes you have to strategically risk breaking things in order to get there.”
Kushner raised the refugee issue with officials in Jordan during a visit to the region in June, along with Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt. According to Palestinian officials, he pressed the Jordan to strip its more than 2 million registered Palestinians of their refugee status so that UNRWA would no longer need to operate there.
“[Kushner said] the resettlement has to take place in the host countries and these governments can do the job that UNRWA was doing,” said Hanan Ashrawi, a member of Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
She said the Trump administration wanted rich Arab Gulf states to cover the costs Jordan might incur in the process.
“They want to take a really irresponsible, dangerous decision and the whole region will suffer,” Ashrawi said.
Saeb Erekat, the Palestinians’ chief negotiator, told reporters in June that Kushner’s delegation had said it was ready to stop funding UNRWA altogether and instead direct the money—$300 million annually—to Jordan and other countries that host Palestinian refugees.
“All this is actually aimed at liquidating the issue of the Palestinian refugees,” hesaid.
The White House declined to comment on the record for this story. A senior executive branch official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said U.S. policy regarding the U.N.’s Palestinian refugee program “has been under frequent evaluation and internal discussion. The administration will announce its policy in due course.”
Jordanian officials in New York and Washington did not respond to queries about the initiative.
Kushner and Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, both proposed ending funding for UNRWA back in January. But the State Department, the Pentagon, and the U.S. intelligence community all opposed the idea, fearing in part that it could fuel violence in the region.
The following week, the State Department announced that that United States would cut the first $125 million installment of its annual payment to UNRWA by more than half, to $60 million.
“UNRWA has been threatening us for six months that if they don’t get a check they will close schools. Nothing has happened,” Kushner wrote in the same email.
State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said at the time that the U.S. had no intention of eliminating funding for Palestinian refugees, and that it was taking time to explore ways to reform UNRWA and to convince other countries to help Washington shoulder the financial burden of aiding the Palestinians.
But the following day, Victoria Coates, a senior advisor to Greenblatt, sent an email to the White House’s national security staff indicating that the White House was mulling a way to eliminate the U.N.’s agency for Palestinian refugees.
“UNRWA should come up with a plan to unwind itself and become part of the UNHCR by the time its charter comes up again in 2019,” Coates wrote.
She noted that the proposal was one of a number of “spitball ideas that I’ve had that are also informed by some thoughts I’ve picked up from Jared, Jason and Nikki.”
Other ideas included a suggestion that the U.N. relief agency be asked to operate on a month-to-month budget and devise “a plan to remove all anti-Semitism from educational materials.”
The ideas seemed to track closely with proposals Israel has been making for some time.
“We believe that UNRWA needs to pass from the world as it is an organization that advocates politically against Israel and perpetuates the Palestinian refugee problem,” said Elad Strohmayer, a spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Washington.
Strohmayer said that Palestinians are the only population that is able to transfer its refugee status down through generations.
The claim, though long advanced by Israel, is not entirely true.
In an internal report from 2015, the State Department noted that the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees “recognizes descendants of refugees as refugees for purposes of their operations.” The report, which was recently declassified, said the descendants of Afghan, Bhutanese, Burmese, Somali, and Tibetan refugees are all recognized by the U.N. as refugees themselves.
Of the roughly 700,000 original Palestinian refugees, only a few tens of thousands are still alive, according to estimates.
The push to deny the status to most Palestinians refugees is also gaining traction in Congress.
Last week, Rep. Doug Lamborn, a Republican from Colorado, introduced a bill that would limit the United States to assisting only the original refugees. Most savings in U.N. contributions would be directed to the U.S. Agency for International Development, the United States’ principal international development agency. But USAID is currently constrained by the Taylor Force Act, which restricts the provision of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian Authority until it ends a policy of providing aid to families of fallen terrorists.
“Instead of resettling Palestinian refugees displaced as a result of the Arab-Israeli Conflict of 1948, UNRWA provides aid to those they define as Palestinian refugees until there is a solution they deem acceptable to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” Lamborn’s bill states.
“This policy does not help resettle the refugees from 1948 but instead maintains a refugee population in perpetuity.”
A congressional aide familiar with the legislation said its intent isn’t to gut UNRWA funding, but redirect assistance to descendants through USAID.
“The people that are suffering should still get assistance, but through appropriately defined humanitarian channels and aid programs,” the aide said.
Similarly, Sen. James Lankford, (R-Okla.), has drafted legislation that would redirect U.S. funding away from UNRWA and to other local and international agencies.
The bill, which has not yet officially been introduced, would require the U.S. secretary of state certify by 2020 that the United Nations has ended its recognition of Palestinian descendants as refugees.
“The United Nations should provide assistance to the Palestinians in a way that makes clear that the United Nations does not recognize the vast majority of Palestinians currently registered by UNRWA as refugees deserving refugee status,” reads a draft obtained by Foreign Policy.
Previous U.S. administrations have maintained that the vast majority of Palestinian refugees will ultimately have to be absorbed in a new Palestinian state or naturalized in the countries that have hosted them for generations.
But the fate of the refugee issue was expected to be agreed to as part of a comprehensive peace pact that resulted in the establishment of a Palestinian state.
“It’s very clear that the overarching goal here is to eliminate the Palestinian refugees as an issue by defining them out of existence,” said Lara Friedman, the president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace.
“This isn’t going to make peace any easier. It’s going to make it harder.”https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/08/03/trump-palestinians-israel-refugees-unrwaand-allies-seek-end-to-refugee-status-for-millions-of-palestinians-united-nations-relief-and-works-agency-unrwa-israel-palestine-peace-plan-jared-kushner-greenb/

Supreme Court of India JUSTICE Mr. MARKANDEY KATJU (RETD) writes that Tibet is much better under the Chinese than it was under the lamas who only wanted to make the populace slaves. It was feudal and it will never return to the backwardness again.

Time has come to acknowledge that Tibet has vastly improved under Chinese rule
JUSTICE MARKANDEY KATJU (RETD) | 12 August, 2018
From a terribly poor state hinged on a feudal system, Tibet has modernised and grows faster than the rest of China
This article has been prompted by Jyoti Malhotra’s article in ThePrint ‘Tibetan government quietly changed its PM’s designation. India won’t be unhappy about it‘.
China’s annexation of Tibet in 1959, ousting the Dalai Lama, had attracted it worldwide criticism. The Dalai Lama fled and was granted asylum in India, where he set up a government-in-exile with its headquarters in Dharamshala.
The Chinese claim Tibet on the grounds that it has been part of the country since the Yuan dynasty of the 13th century, which is disputed by the government-in-exile. But let us leave this that matter aside.
The more important question is whether Chinese rule has benefited Tibet.
The answer is that it undoubtedly has. As the Reuters’ Ben Blanchard writes: “Today Tibet is richer and more developed than it has ever been, its people healthier, more literate, better dressed and fed”.
Although Ben goes on to argue that this development masks “a deep sense of unhappiness among many Tibetans”, I will disagree. How can anyone be unhappy if s/he is healthier, better fed and better clothed?
Under the rule of the Dalai Lamas (Buddhist priests), the people of Tibet were terribly poor, almost entirely illiterate, and lived like feudal serfs.
Today, Tibet presents a totally different picture. The illiteracy rate in Tibet has gone down from 95 per cent in the 1950s to 42 per cent in 2000. It has modern schools, universities, engineering and medical colleges, modern hospitals, freeways, supermarkets, fast food restaurants, mobile stores and apartment buildings. The capital Lhasa is like any other modern city.
While the economic growth in the rest of China has slowed down to about 7 per cent, Tibet has had a 10 per cent growth rate in the last two decades.
Tibet has huge mineral wealth, which was only awaiting Chinese technology to be tapped. Nowadays, it has numerous hydro and solar power plants and industries running with Chinese help.
Tibetan literature is flourishing, contrary to claims that the Chinese want to crush Tibetan culture.
Of course, now the lamas cannot treat their people as slaves.
The so-called ‘government-in-exile’, of which Lobsang Sangay claims to be the President, is a fake organisation, funded by foreign countries. They only want to restore the feudal Tibet, ruled by the reactionary lamas, something which will never happen.The writer is a former judge of the Supreme Court of Indiahttps://theprint.in/opinion/time-has-come-to-acknowledge-that-tibet-has-vastly-improved-under-chinese-rule/97172/

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.…Instead of turning away people who practise Dorje Shugden, we should be kind to them. Give them logic and wisdom without fear, then in time they give up the ‘wrong’ practice. Actually Shugden practitioners are not doing anything wrong. But hypothetically, if they are, wouldn’t it be more Buddhistic to be accepting? So those who have views against Dorje Shugden should contemplate this. Those practicing Dorje Shugden should forbear with extreme patience, fortitude and keep your commitments. The time will come as predicted that Dorje Shugden’s practice and it’s terrific quick benefits will be embraced by the world and it will be a practice of many beings.